Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-08-25

the truth than he knew
One bright Sunday morning not long af-
ter this, when there was a cradle III their
house, and in il a little golden head, worth
all the rest of the gold in the world, card
was brought 20 Mrs Northam. 1t bore the
name of Walker w. Carroll. She passed it
10 her husband with n shade of annoyance
on her face.
"Ah this is your old friend, Carroll, l
suppoSe-the one you have spoken Of so Of
ten - lac remarked, pleasantly.
"Yes hadn't heard that he was back
from England, though" Myra was running
brush over her hair, and looking at her
face as she spoke. II wonder if his wife is
with him ? But what an hour 10 call 1t
can't be half-past nine"
Lucky we are up" said Philip, with n
f7TIEfi ''ry T.stl.aar, thanks 10 that brigand
and pirate in the cradle there. He never
seems TO enjoy his sleep until he has robbed
us of ours. Sha'n't | 20 down and receive
your friend, If you don't feel quite ready,
Myra."
Il am quite ready now, thanks, said My
ra, promptly ''and don't leave the baby,
please, till Maggie comes up"
She passed Philip in crossing TO the door,
turned back and kissed him, and went
downstairs.
y tall, brown and bearded stranger was
standing in the parlor, looking at the door
| eXpectantly as she entered, both hands out
held in friendly welcome.
"Win ?"
"Myra -
81 am so glad"
''Such lovely surprise
"And how have You been -
al heard you were married"
And you never wrote"
Who can reproduce the first hurried
words of greeting after long separation I?
Speech and smiles, and bushes and eager
| looks mingle ineXtricably, at once. After
a moment or two the mists of feeling clear a
little il is easier to speak, but not so i'm
perative.
Myra sat down by her friend on little
sofa. The welcoming look had not quite
gone out of her face when she said impress
lively
"Will, l must ask you something now.
Do you remember the little hallmark
made you before you went away? put it
| in your hat myself the night before you
sailed
"Do remember? | should think so !
But imagine what happened. The very
next morning lost my hat. II was knock
ed off my head and picked up by another
man."
eyes, I know" said Myra, quickly "by
my hushand-by Philip Northam."
''You don't say so Your husband ? And
got his hat in exchange. Ha ha ! The
long-lost hat It's about time we should
return them, now"
But Myra was not smiling she sat clasp
ing and unclasping her hands, nervously.
''Will did you noticc-did you examine
my little gift very closely ?" she asked,
with strange hesitancy. You know, fas-
tened ii in myself"
eyes, know. 1t was awfully kind of
you, too. / felt so sorry to think couldn't
have kept it -
"And-and you are sure you didn't see
anything else with it anything except
the hat.mark ?"
She spoke slowly, searching his face with
her eyes.
Anything else ?" he repeated, wonder
ingly. "What kind of thing, for instance?
/ don't understand"
She looked at him, now, with the bright
est smile he had ever seen her wear.
"Oh, isn't fate strange, VIII isn't 1t
strange and good 1t won't let MS have
our own way it snatches from us the
things we covet, but only to give us some
thing so much better. 1 am glad for every
thing, though-everything y
"What a remarkable state of mind ! Dc
you think you could explain your meaning
little ?"
''No," she said, joyously 81 never can
l never will l am too. thankful /! And
then," she added, deprecating, IA woman
must always be mysterious you know"
'She always is, L know"
"She must be-" insisted Myra, gently
''The conditions of her life are such. And
Will, am going to ask you now to be a lit
tie mysterious, too"
'But wherefore shouldst thou ?" Ht
gave her comical look of dismay.